Karen Hymer

Light Art Space opened September 1, 2018. 

The Space

 209 West Broadway, Silver City, New Mexico, was built in 1905 as a hardware store. In the mid - 1900’s it was used as a department store and most recently Firecloud Traders called it home.  In Spring of 2017 Karen Hymer fell in love with the large, neglected space and purchased the building.

The Vision

The mission of Light Art Space (LAS) is to provide an inclusive place of creative discovery for the community of Silver City and it’s visitors. We feature changing Art Exhibitions, Workshops, Lectures and other events. LAS interfaces with local public schools and Western New Mexico University by exhibiting student work, and providing access to professional art through interactive art making. Through juried and curated exhibitions, we provide our community access to contemporary art not usually seen in small, rural towns. In addition to changing exhibitions, LAS represents nine regional artists who work in a variety of media. LAS strives to show underrepresented artists including minorities, women, emerging artists and those working in less represented media such as alternative photographic processes, installation and video. We encourage interested parties to submit proposals for exhibitions, workshops and other events. We welcome all members of the general public as well as serious collectors of art.

This vibrant art space has become a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, offering contemporary art exhibitions and interactive educational workshops. Since opening, LAS has featured 20 exhibitions (juried, curated and student), 10 workshops (5 taught by out of state artists), 3 lectures, a weekend symposium of the written word, and a digital photography print seminar. These events have attracted over 2000 attendees in an eighteen-month period.

About Karen

 Light Art Space is owned and operated by Karen Hymer, a visual artist and teacher from Tucson, Arizona.  Karen earned her BFA from The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Tufts University, Medford and her MA and MFA in Fine Art Photography from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. She actively exhibits her work both nationally and internationally. Her work is in several public collections, including the Center for Creative Photography and the Polaroid International Collection. Dark Spring Press released the first book of her work in May, 2018.  An exhibition of twenty-five original photopolymer gravures is available to travel.